Coating machine



k F. N. LA CHAPELLE COATING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 22. 1920Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED N. LA CHAPELLE, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'l'O UNITEDSHOE MACHINERY CORPQRATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A GORPORATIONOFJERSEY.

COATING MACHINE.

Application filed November 22, 1920, Serial nu. 425,743. Renewed May 21,1926.

This invention relates to machines for coating various articles,especially those in which it is desired to produce a sharply definedline'between coated and uncoated areas. An example of work of thischaracter is found in shoes of the tennis type, in which the entirecircumference of the lower portion of the lasted upper has applied to ita band of cement to secure the foxin strip, which assists in theattachment of the sole. Here it is highly desirable to confine thecement to the line along which the upper edge-of the foxing is to lie,since any overrunning' of this tends to deface the upper. The avoidanceof this smearing is particularly necessary in shoes having uppers ofwhite or ligl1tcolored material. At present the cementing for foxings ismost successfully effected manually, the operative working graduallyabout the foxing area with a brush held inthe hand, This is obviously arelatively slow procedure, depending for its success upon the skill ofthe operative, and is at bestuncertain.

One objectof the present invention is to provide a machine for coatingsuch work,

which will, without special effort'on the part of the operator, producea uniform, determinate line of demarcation between the adjacent areas.In accomplishing this object, I provide between the Work and the memberfor applying the coating fluid an i111PGI'fO- rate shielding member,having a surface with which a portion of the applying surface contacts.It will be seen that to produce a properly-defined coated area with suchan organization, the operator, upon bringing the work into contact withthe applying I member, needs only to keep the edgeof the shieldingmember at the line which it is desired shall mark the edge of thecoatedportiona IVith this relation established, the overrunning of theapplying member is all upon the shieldingmember, which completelyprotects the portion of the work which .is

to remain uncoated. To present a freshsur face of the shielding memberto the work,

' so that it shall not, in the operation of the a plying member, gathercoating fluid and hold it to overflow upon the shielded area, saidapplying and shielding members are made relatively movable. Preferably,both the members move, the applying member to effect the application ofthe coating, and the shielding member for the purpose just incheated,and this movement may be at different rates of speeds. To avoid applyingthe coating fluid to the shield while work is not being done by themachine, said shield is shown as normally out of contact with theapplying surface, and is movable toward and from it. The shield may alsobe movable transversely of the applying surface to expose a greater orless amount, to adapt the machine for coating over different widths.

lustrated, the applying member consists of a rotatable brush, and theshielding member of a strip of relatively thin, flexible material,thelatter being normally spaced from and movable at a'dilferent ratefrom the applying application, Serial No. 250,130, filed.

January 28, 1.928, which is a division of the present application.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective one of the several possible formswhich my invention may assume; and

Fig. 2 is atransverse section through the elements more closelyassociated with the work. y

In a suitable frame 10 is rotatably mounted a shaft 12, liavim fixed atone extremity an applying member, here shown 'as a brush 14. The shaftand brush are rotated from a.

convenient source of power by means not shown. The brush is suppliedwith the coating fluid, as cement, from a receptacle 16, through aconduit 18 passingthrough the frame to a casing 20, which surrounds theupper portion of the brush. The flow'of cement through the conduit maybe controlled by a valve 22. Between the casing,

and brush, on the downgoing side of the lat-' ter in its rotation, is agate 24: to limlt the In, the particular machine which I have illpassage of cement in this direction, its relation to the periphery ofthe brush being controlled by a screw 26 threaded into thetop of thecasing. Beneath the shaft 12 there is mounted upon a frame, by means ofa screwand-slot connection 28 pern'iitting adjustment toward and fromthe brush, a workrest 30 for positioning :I'SllOG in predeterminedrelation to the applying member. In the present instance, since this isto be used in contact with the bottom of a lasted shoe to present thefoxing area to the brush, the extremity 32 of the rest is inclined toposition this surface of the upper properly with respectto the brush.

Adjacent to the applying surface of the brush is a segmentalguide'member 3%, which may be formed of sheet metal. The guiding portionproper of this member, appearin at .36, is concentric to the peripheryof the brush, and is U-shaped, the legs of'the U extending laterally ofthe brush, the lower beinglonger and projecting beneath the ends of thebrush fibers. The upper leg of this ,portion 36 is cut away, so that itsinner ex tremity lies outside the edge of the brush. The guide member 34is shown as supported upon a bracket 38 extending from one side of: themachine, it being secured thereto by a bolt 40 passing through ahorizontal slot 42. This connection allows the guide member to be movedtransversely of the brush, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.Carried" at one side of the frame is a bracket T 44, hearing at itsupper extremity a support,

as a reel 46, for a shielding strip 48, which strip may be of anysuitable flexible material, paper being convenient. A friction device49, associated with the reel, prevents the too free drawing-off of thestrip. From the reel the strip passes downwardly and through theU-portion of the guide member, its inner edge extending beyond the lowerwall of the U, and being held somewhat separated from the brush andconcentric therewith. The di- "rection in which the strip approaches theguide member is preferably tangential, and upon the opposite side, thestrip leaves the guide member also in 'agenerally tangential direction,passing upwardly between a pair of feed-rolls 50 and 52 rotatable uponthe frame... 50, as illustrated, is an idle bed-roll, it being flangedto prevent'la'teral movement of the strip out of engagement with itssurface. The roll-52 may have'extending about it circumferentialcorrugations 53, which reduce the area contacting with the strip-sunface carrying a certain amount of cement. The roll 52 is secured uponone end of a shaft n45 journaled in the frame of the machine, and havingat its opposite extremity a ratchet-wheeled With the teeth of this wheeleo-operates a pawl 58, pivoted upon a leVerGO arrangedto swing upon theend of the shaft S l. Articulated to the lower end of the lever is aneccentric rod (32, the strap of which surrounds an eccentric (54 fastupon the shaft 12. It will be seen that for each complete rotation ofthe brush shaft 12, the eccentric may be caused to move the pawl 58through the length of one or more of the ratchet-teeth, as may bedesired, thus, through the contact of the roll 52 of the strip,advancing the latter to draw off from the reel 46 and present to theapplying brush fresh portions of the strip, thus effecting a. relativemovement of translation between the shielding member and the cementapplying device as successive portions of the foxing area are presentedto the applying device.

In using the machine for cementing tennis shoe uppers, such as shown atS in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the lasted shoe is presented to the brushby the operator, being guided, over and positioned by the inclined end32 of the work-rest. In preparation for this, the guide member 34 hasbeen adjusted by means of its bolt 40 transversely of the brush to soposition the shielding member or strip 48 entirely covering an outerportion of the applying surface that the distance between the inner edgeof said strip and the op )osite side of the brush substantially equalsthe width of the surface to be coated. The operator, holding the work inthe hands, turns it towbring the entire length of the foxing area intocontact with the brush, the strip extending substantially flat-wisetransversely of the upper of the shoe, with one edge of the stripcoinciding approximately with the line along which the foxing is to lieand defining the line of demarcation between coated and uncoatedsurfaces. The portion of the brush beyond this line rests upon thestrip, as the edge of the latter projecting from the guide is carriedtoward it by the pressure of the work, said strip thus entirelyshielding from thecement the surface of the upper which is to remainuncoated. By reason of the flexibility of the shielding member and thefact that it is positioned substantially flat-wise against the work, itis particularly effective in protecting a portion of the upper.Therefore, beyond determining that in the advance of the shoe thepreviously-indicated relation is maintained, no care is necessary toproduce a perfectly uniform edge of the coated area. As the operationcontinues, the feed of the strip by the roll 52 shifts the shield-strip,so that the surface which has been in contact with the brush is carriedaway from the point of application of the work for dis )osal, and afresh unsmearcd section broughtinto action. The used por' tion of thestrip may be cleansed in some appropriate way, and returned to the reelto'be used again, or may be thrown away, it being so slowly advancedthat relatively little is used for shielding a number of the shoe uppersoperated upon.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secureby Letters Patent ofthe United States is: V

1. In a shoe coating machine, an applying member, and an imperforateshielding member situated between part of the applying.

surface of the applying member contacts.

2. In a coating machine, an applying member, a shielding member ofdeterminate length and temporary nature situated between the applyingmember and the work, the applying and shield ng membersbeing relativelymovable and being arranged to provide for the continued interpositionbetween the applying member and the work of a fresh portion of theshielding member which has not previously cooperated with the work, andmeans to carry away used portions of the shieldingmember for disposal.

In a coating machine, a movable applying member, a shieldin membersituated between the applying menilier and the work, and means formoving the shielding member at a different rate from the applyingmember.

4. In a machine for applying liquid coating materials to shoes, anapplying member having a work-contacting surface arranged to apply saidliquid materials, a shielding member situated between the applyingmember and the work, said shielding member having a surface over which aportion of the applying surface of. the applying member operates andbeing arrangedto leave another portion of the applyin member at alltimes free for contact wit 1 the work,

and means arranged to move the shielding surface with relation to' theapplying surface. j I 5. In a coating machine, amember having an aplying surface, a work-rest situated at one site of the appl mgrmember,and a shield extending over t e'applying surface from the side oppositethework-rest.

6.'In a coating machine, a. member having a' circumferential applyingsurface, a

shield surrounding a portion of the applyingsurface between it andthework to be coated, and means arranged to maintain the shieldsubstantially concentric to such portion;

7. In a coating machine, a rotatable member having a circumferentialapplying surface, and an imperforate traveling shield surrounding aportion of the applying surface between it and the'work to be coated andleaving the remainder of the applying 8. In a coating machine, arotatable me1nher having a circumferential applying surface, ashieldsurrounding a portion of the applying surface between it and thework to be coated, and means for advancing the shield at a differentrate than that at which the applying surface moves. v

9. In a coating machine, a' member having an applying surface, and ashield situated between the applying surface and the work to be coatedand being held normally out of contact with the applying surface.

10. In a coating machine, a member having an applying surface, and a1shield situated between the applying surface and the work to be coatedandbeing arranged to move toward and from theapplying surface.

11. In a coating machine, a member having an applying surface, and ashield situe ated between the applying surface and the work to be coatedand being arranged to move transversely of the applying surface toexpose a greater or less extent thereof to contact with the work.

'12. Ina coating machine, a member having an applying surface, a movableshield cooperating with the applying surface, and aguide arranged tomaintain the shield normally out of contact with the applying surface.

13. In a coating machine, a member having an applying surface, atravelingshield co-operating with the applying surface, and a guidesurrounding one edge of the shield and through which it travels.

14:. In. a coating machine, a member having an applying surface, amovable shield cooperating with the applying surface, a guide for theshield, and means arranged to adjust the position of'the guide acrossthe ap loo liifIn a coating machine, an applying brush, and a shieldingstrip of relatively.

thin l1121t"tll having one edgclying in a plane between the sides of theapplying surface and the opposite edge situated at one side of saidapplying surface.- s

17. In acoating machine, an applying brush, and a flexible stripnormally spaced from the brushand arranged to be forced against thebrush by contact of the work.

18. In a coating machine, a cylindrical ap plying brush a guide situatedadjacent to the applying surface, and a flexible strip movable throughthe guide and having a portion maintained thereby concentric to theapplying surface.

19. In a coating machine, a rotatable strip and to remove the usedportions.

21. In a. coating machine, a rotatable brush having a circumferentialapplying surface, a guide extending concentrically to In a coatingmachine, a brush having an applying surface, a guide situated adjacentto the applying'surface, and a flexible strip movable through the guideand being normally spaced from the applying surface.

23. Ina coating machine, a brush having an applying surface,ia guidesituated adjacent to theapplying surface. and a flexible strip movablethrough the guide,said guide being arranged for movement toward and fromthe brush to vary the relationof the strip thereto.

2%. In a coating machine, an applying member, a guide adjacent theretoarranged tohold a strip normally out of contact with the applyingmember, a strip-support situated at one side of the guide, andstripfeeding means at the opposite side of the guide.

25.. In a coating machine, a rotatable memher having a circumferentialapplying surface. a strip-guide concentric with the applying surface,and a reel and feed-rolls arranged to respectively supply a strip to andto draw it from the guide in directions substantially tangentialthereto.

26. In a foxing-cementing machine, a retatable applying brush arrangedfor contact with the foxing area of a shoe, and a flexible striparranged to be interposed between a portion of the, brush and the upperof the shoe adjacent to the foxing area.

strip extending over the surface of the brush from the side opposite thebottom rest.

28. In a machine for applying cement to the foxing area of a shoe, meansfor positioning a shoe, means for positioning a shieldingmember in suchrelation to the shoe that it will determine the extent of the foxingarea to be coated, and means for applying cement to said area. i

29. Ina machine for applying cement to the foxing area of a shoe, cementapplying means, means for positioning a shoe in predetermined relationto said applying means so that cement may he applied to the foxing areaof the shoe, and a shielding member positioned to protect an area of theshoe adjacent to the foxing area and to determine the line ofdemarcation between the foxing area and said adjacent area.

30. In a machine for applying cement to the foxing area of a shoe,cement applying means, means for positioning a shoe in predeterminedrelation to said applying means so that cement may he applied to thefoxing area of the shoe, and a shielding member positioned substantiallyflat-wise of the adjacent portion of the upper of the shoe to protectthat portion of the upper of the shoe which is adjacent to the foxingarea and to determine a line of demarcation between the foxing area andsaid adjacent area which will be substantially coincident with the edgeof said shielding member.

81. In a foxing cementing machine, :1 ccmentapplying device, means forlocating a shoe,means for shielding the upper portion of said shoe toprotect said portion from the application of cement, and means forcausing a relative movement oftranslation between said cement applyingdevice and the shielding means as successive portions of the foxing areaof the shoe are presented to the applying device. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED N. LA CHAPELLE.

